The Blackthorn Elite Series: Rumors & Rivals

Chapter 7: Storm Warnings

The rain soaked through my long braid down my back as I hurried across the stone path toward the south dormitory.

The lanterns along the walkway flickered in the wind, and thunder rolled faintly somewhere beyond the academy hills. I had barely made it halfway to the steps when a voice cut sharply through the storm.

“Un- f*****g-believable.”

I froze.

Turning slowly.

Torin stepped out from beneath the covered overhang of the dorm entrance, his expression dark, rainwater dripping from the edges of his perfectly styled blonde hair.

So he’d seen.

His gaze moved from me… to the car still idling behind.

Ryker’s car.

Torin let out a humorless laugh.

“Really, Zaria?” he said loudly. “That didn’t take long.” Folding his arms.

I felt irritation rise immediately.

“Don’t start, Torin.”

But he was already walking toward me, his shoes splashing through shallow puddles.

Turning away to go inside, Torin grabbed my arm, tugging me to him.

“What the hell!?” I said lowly. Snatching my arm back from him.

“Don’t touch me”. I knew Ryker saw.. and the last thing I wanted was for him to get violent.

“I mean seriously,” he continued. “First lunch, now late-night rides? You didn’t waste any time replacing me.”

The car door behind me opened. Steady footsteps treading through water.

I didn’t need to turn to know Ryker had stepped out.

Torin noticed too.

His eyes narrowed as Ryker walked forward slowly, hands in his pants pockets, completely unfazed by the rain.

“There he is,” Torin said coldly. “Always right on time..“Ryker, the self-appointed knight in shining armor”

Ryker stopped beside me.

His voice was calm.

“You stalking people now, Harrington?”

Torin scoffed.

“Touch her again and see what happens.”

For a moment there was a slight stare off between the two.

“I live here.” Motioning over his shoulder.

He gestured toward the dorm building.

“Which means I get a front-row seat to whatever the hell this is.” Pointing at the both of us.

crossing my arms. “This is none of your damn business.”

Torin turned back to me sharply.

“Oh, it’s absolutely my business when my ex is sneaking around like some-.”

“Careful,” Ryker said quietly.

The warning in his voice cut through the air like a blade.

Torin’s jaw tightened.

“Oh please,” he said. “You’re acting like she’s some kind of prize.”

The insult hit harder than I expected.

But before I could respond, Ryker stepped forward slightly.

“Keep f*****g talking, Torin. It won’t end well for you.”

Torin laughed.

“Or what?”

Ryker’s expression didn’t change.

“You’re embarrassing yourself.”

Torin’s eyes flashed.

“Oh, I’m embarrassing myself?”

He looked between them with a bitter smile.

“You really think this is about her?”

My brows furrowed.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Torin ignored me.

His gaze stayed locked on Ryker.

“Let’s not pretend this is real. You’ve hated me for years, she’s just collateral…the easiest way to get under my skin.”

The accusation hung heavy in the rain.

I turned toward Ryker instinctively.

For a brief moment, something unreadable crossed his face.

Torin noticed.

And grinned.

“See?” he said. “Told you.”

feeling something twist uncomfortably in my chest.

“Ryker?” I asked quietly.

Ryker didn’t look at Torin anymore. Instead he turned towards me

He looked at me.

His voice softened slightly.

“He’s wrong.”

Torin snorted.

“Sure.”

But Ryker wasn’t finished.

“Whatever’s between me and Torin started long before freshman year, but you need to understand something, Zaria not once have I looked at you and saw a way to get to him.

“He has nothing to do with this. I’ve always seen you, even when you didn’t realize it.”

Torin’s smirk slowly faded.

Ryker’s eyes stayed locked on mine.

“I started paying attention because you deserved better than what he gave you.”

The words settled into the quiet night.

I felt my breath catch.

Torin’s expression hardened instantly.

“Oh, give me a break,” he snapped. “You expect her to believe that?”

Ryker shrugged. Eyes never leaving mine.

“She can decide that for herself.”

Torin ran a hand through his wet hair, clearly losing patience.

“You know what?” he muttered. “Fine.”

He stepped backward toward the dorm steps.

“But don’t come crying to me when this whole thing blows up in your face, Zaria.”

I didn’t respond back to him.

Torin shot Ryker one last glare.

“This isn’t f*****g over Kane” Causing Ryker to glance toward him.

Then he turned and disappeared inside the dorm building, slamming the heavy doors behind him.

The courtyard fell quiet again except for the rain.

For a moment neither I nor Ryker spoke.

Finally.. I exhaled slowly.

“Well,” I murmured, staring down at the rain, “that could’ve gone worse.”

Ryker huffed a quiet laugh.

“You handled him better than most people would.”

looking at him.

“So you’re not trying to get under his skin?”

Ryker raised an eyebrow.

Then said quietly,

Rainwater slid down his jaw as he seemed to consider his thoughts.

Finally he shook his head.

“No.”

I studied his face.

“Then why are you doing this? Why are you here?”

Ryker stepped a little closer.

Close enough that the rain between them felt warmer somehow.

His voice lowered. Moving some of her wet hair from her face.

“Because I want to.”

My heart skipped again.

For a second both of us just stood there.

Then Ryker stepped back toward his car.

“You should get inside before you catch pneumonia,” he said lightly.

I laughed softly.

“You’re the one standing in the rain.”

He opened the car door.

“Yeah,” he said.

“I”ll survive, I’m used to storms.”

I watched him climb back into the car.

As the engine started and the headlights cut through the rain, she had the strange feeling Torin had been right about one thing.

This situation was going to blow up.

And somehow..

That made everything even more exciting.